The United Kingdom unveiled this week one of the most innovative airport sites in the world. Urban-Air Port, a UK infrastructure developer, in cooperation with Supernal, Hyundai Motor Group’s Urban Air Mobility division, demonstrated the world’s first fully operational eVTOL hub in Coventry. Categorized as ‘vertiport’ the terminal is developed to service the electric flying vehicles that take-off and land vertically (eVTOL).
The Vertiport, named Air-One will operate and serve as a “blueprint” for more than 200 planned vertiports during the next five years. According to Urban-Air Port, the advanced air mobility (AAM) market is forecasted to grow 9 percent annually, reaching $1 trillion within the next 20 years. Air-One will be host eVTOL operations, aircraft command and control services, cargo loading for unmanned drones, as well as the demonstration flights. Vertiport Air-One will also serve as the charging hub for other modes of electric transportation.
All vehicles that will take off and land from the terminal aim for a sustainable and green air transportation. Zero-emission eVTOL, air taxis and autonomous delivery drones will be the first to use the vertiport, introducing a more sustainable and convenient solution compared to the conventional commercial aircraft which are currently utilized.
“The opening of Air-One is a momentous moment—the starting gun for a new age of transport, an age of zero-emission, congestion-free travel between and within cities that will make people healthier, happier and more connected than ever before. Cars have roads. Trains have rails. Planes have airports. Now, eVTOLs have an Urban-Air Port,” said Urban-Air Port Founder Ricky Sandhu.
“Air-One serves as a valuable, tangible asset to help build stakeholder confidence and trust in emerging mobility technology and supporting systems,” said Supernal Chief Commercial Officer Mike Whitaker. “The Coventry demonstration is an important first step forward to reimagining how people across the world will move, connect and live.”
“Developing a scalable system to support advanced air mobility operations requires collaboration from all industries and corners of the world. Supernal’s support of Urban-Air Port reinforces our belief in fusing technology and innovation to enable humanity and society to reach new levels of potential.”
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